Philadelphia opens second mass vaccination clinic Thursday in Juniata Park

Philadelphia opens second mass vaccine clinic Thursday

FOX 29's Lauren Johnson has more on the opening of Philadelphia's second mass vaccination site.

JUNIATA PARK - Philadelphia will open its second mass vaccination clinic Thursday morning at a charter school in Juniata Park as the city continues to expand vaccine availability to high-risk people in traditionally underserved communities.

The Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School which is currently vacant as students work from home will begin serving as a vaccine clinic Thursday at 9 a.m.

Officials say the school located on 1100 block of Erie Avenue has the ability to administer hundreds of doses per day. The clinic will start by offering the vaccine to people considered most at risk for severe infection.

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Philadelphia has vowed to open three mass vaccination clinics throughout the city. The first of which opened last week at Martin Luther King Older Adult Center on the 2100 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue in North Philadelphia.

According to a press release, the clinics will be open once a week for first dose shots and will eventually add a second day for patients who require the crucial second dose. The city says it will result in thousands of vaccinations per week.

The city recently announced a partnership with FEMA and other federal agencies on a forthcoming mass vaccination clinic at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

FEMA partners with Philadelphia to open mass vaccination site at Pennsylvania Convention Center

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced on Friday it has partnered with Philadelphia to support a mass vaccination site at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

The FEMA site promises to markedly increase the number of available doses by adding its own allotment to what is already given to Philadelphia Health Department. At maximum operating capacity, officials believe the site can administer several thousand doses per day.

Philadelphia reported 276 positive coronavirus infections on Wednesday, which swelled the city's overall total to 112,802 cases. Nearly 40% of Philadelphia's 3,083 deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, according to the latest data.